The D&L Blog

History Comes Alive Along the Canal

Written by Mark Evan, DLNHC Education and Program Outreach Manager

One of the goals of Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor is to help residents become aware of, understand, and appreciate the many ways their predecessors contributed to the development of our great country. Whether they drove mules, captained canal boats, tended locks, fed anthracite coal into the furnaces of burgeoning local industries, or descended into the earth to mine that coal, their perseverance in completing daily tasks serves as an enduring inspiration for all corridor residents—today and for generations to come.

Each spring, the National Canal Museum offers its Immersion Day program to elementary students throughout the corridor. This hands-on experience highlights the ingenuity, creativity, and steadfastness of those who came before us. Students don’t just hear about how simple machines were used to build the canal—they feel it. With guidance from educators in mid-1800s period dress, they experiment with pulley systems to understand how heavy loads were lifted onto canal barges. They turn gears simulating the opening and closing of multi-ton canal lock gates, just as children their age did 200 years ago. These activities spark both appreciation and joy, as well as plenty of smiles and laughter, which is just as important, if not more so.

The stars of Immersion Day are undoubtedly Hank and George, our beloved mules who have been pulling the Josiah White II canal boat for nearly two decades. While they’re adored by all, children are especially fond of them—often offering apples from their lunches as treats. Gliding along the canal at 2–3 miles per hour, being pulled by mules just as it was done for centuries, is a rare and memorable experience. All of us at the National Canal Museum take pride in making this fun, educational journey available to our fellow corridor residents.

Canal boat rides are now available three times daily, Wednesday through Sunday, until late October. Each boat tour ticket includes admission to our wonderful museum. Stop by and say hello before or after your trip!

Hank, George, and all of us here look forward to seeing you this summer and fall!